Base-ball mask.



R. L. WELCH.

BASE-BALL MASK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, {HIGH Llifififil 1 a Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-f-SHEET I R. L. WELLrL BASE BALL- MASK.

AWPLICATION FILED MAR. 2a, 1916.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3, k/ maid/m Uhll lfill %TATE@ PATENT UFFlWEQ ROBERT L. WELCH. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALDING & 1330s., A

CORPORATION OF,NEW JERSEY.

BASE-BALL MASK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented frog. 2%, litlttl.

Application filed March 28. 1916. Serial No. $7.3M.

lie it known that l. llomcn'r T1. \YicLeu, a eitixen oithe l uit'ed States. and a resident of t lllt'flQU. lllinois. have invented eertain new and uset'nl lmprovements in llase-llall lilasks. ot' whieh the following is a speeit z tion.

My invention relates to base-ball masks and partieulartv to masks for use of umpires and the invention eoneerns an improvement in that portion of. the mask employed for proteetinr the ears.

The invention rousists in the features o't eombiuatiou and arrangement o't parts hereinal'ter deserilaal and pointed out in the elaims.

in the :u-eompauying drawings. Figure l is a sid view of a mask embodying the invention. l igfi is a rear view with the, ear pads or proteetors folded inwardly. Fig. 23 is a view of the inner side of a proteet r with a portion of the main part of the mask about whieh it is pivotally attaehed.

in these drawings 1 indieates generally the main part ot the mask eomposed as usual ot a wire, frame and an eneireling. main pad 2. I

The ear proteetors are indieated generally at 3 and eaeh of these v-omprises a wire frame made of a substantially semi-eireular loop portion l. the ends ot whieh are provided with eyes 5 eneireling the main wire (3 ot' the main frame and loeat'ed one above the rross wire T and the other below the eross wire 8. so that this wire of the ear proteetor t'rame will be allowed pivotal movement but will be retained in position against vertieal displaeement. The Iran-1e. ot the ear proteetor further comprises a vertieal wire it eonneeted at its ends with the semi-eireular portion of the frame and also upper and, lower braeiiig wires eonneeted at their ends respeetively with the selniwireular wire of the ear proteetor Frame and also the vertical wire thereof.

The ear pad or proteetor shown at 11 eont'orms substantially to the shape of the ear being open .at the unite and having an enlarged lower lobe at. 12 and an enlarged portion at. its upper part as shown at 13, the trout. and baeh portions of this pad at ll and lfi beiu g eonsiderably narrower than the upper and lower eorner portions, the objeet being to [ally proteet the ear but yet not eover the same in sneh manner as to intert'ere with the sense of hearing. This pad is held to the pivoted wire frame by leather (laps ill. 1T seeured to the pad in any suitable manner as by stitehing. the said llaps being;' turned over the edge of the frame and lying on the outer sides thereof with their adjaeent a laeineat 18, this lacing being tied ate suitable point.

The mask is held in position on the head in any suitable way but preferably by an oi'erhead strap 19 and a eross strap 20 seeured to the overhead strap and attaehed at its ends by buekles and adjustable straps '31. the latter being eonneeted substantially to the eenter oi the wire frames of the ar pads or proteetors. it will be observed that the ear proteetors may be folded inso that the mask will not oeeupy any greater space than that necessary to reeeive its main portion.

While l have shown the ear pads of a shape to eneirele the. opening' of the ear and while I have shown these pads as sepaate from the main pad of the. mask 1 do not limit myself in these respects nor do it limit myself to the partieular eonstruetion of the parts deseribed. llither ear pad may be readily removed for repaii"'or tor replacement.

lt will be observed that, the user of the mask may park it in a small spare in his grip in transporting it from plaee to place.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A baseball mask comprising a main frame and pad and ear proteetors pivotally mounted on said main frame, and adapted to be folded in relation to the main frame and pad, said ear protectors comprising 'fl'tllllGS pivoted to the main frame and litt'v' ing pads individual thereto and independent of the main pad. substantially as described.

:2. In (ombination in a baseball mask a main pad, a frame holding; the same and projecting); whollyto thetront thereof leav ing the rear of said pad in substantially one plane and ear protectors nionntecl-pivotally on the main frame and folded. into the space within the main pad leaving the rearface ot' the main pad and the outer faces of tho ear protectors substantially in the same plane when said protectors are folded, substantially. as described.

edges held together by ill!) the pivot, a pad 3. In combination ,a main pad, a frame carryin said pad, a supplemental frame pivotal y mounted. on the main frame and comprising a. substantially semi-circular member with 'a vertical bar connecting the upper and lower portions thereof adjacent on the inner side of said supplemental frame and flaps connected with said pad and extending around the vertical rod and the semi-circular portion of the supplemental frame with means for seduring said flaps together, substantially as described. i

.4. In combination a main frame, a main pad, an ear protector frame pivotally mount, ed on the main frame and a pad removably mounted on the said pivoted frame, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a baseball mask, a main frame with its pad, an ear protector frame pivotally mounted on the. main frame, a'pad for protecting the ear, said pad having flexible extensions overlying the outer side of the frame with means for securing I said extensions together to hold the pad in place, substantially as described.

6. In combination a main frame with its pad, a substantially semi-circular frame pivotally mounted on the main frame, a pad on the inner side of the semi-circular frame for protecting the ear, flaps connected with said ear pad and overlying the outerside of the pivoted frame withmeans for securing said flaps together, substantially as described.

7. In combination a main frame with its pad, ear protector frames pivotally mounted on' the main frame and each having an ear pad, a head; strap and'an adjustable cross strap, said cross st-rap ing connected with the pivoted ear protector fra1nes,'substantially -as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROBERT L. VVELCH. Witnesses R. G. PmNnLa, WM. (J. ANTINK. 

